Story Published:
Nov 6, 2005 at 1:35 PM PST
Story Updated:
Aug 31, 2006 at 1:07 AM PST
TEMPE, ARIZ. - The Arizona Cardinals always seem to bring
out the best in Shaun Alexander.
The powerhouse back gained 173 yards in 23 carries, including
touchdown runs of 88 and 14 yards, and the Seattle Seahawks won
their fourth in a row by beating the Cardinals 33-19.
The 88-yard run, on the first play of the second half, tied the
franchise record Alexander set against Oakland on Nov. 11, 2001. In
the last three games against Arizona, Alexander gained 467 yards
and scored nine touchdowns.
Neil Rackers kicked field goals of 23, 31, 50 and 44 for the
Cardinals (2-6) and is 26-for-26 this season.
Kurt Warner, replacing Josh McCown as starting quarterback,
completed 29 of 48 passes for 334 yards and a touchdown. He threw
three interceptions and was sacked four times.
The first two picks, by Marcus Trufant and Kelly Herndon, led to
10 Seattle points. The third, by Jordan Babineaux, stopped an
Arizona drive late in the fourth quarter.
Matt Hasselbeck, picked off four times in a 25-17 loss at Sun
Devil Stadium a year ago, was 13-for-20 for 158 yards. He passed
for a touchdown, ran for another and was not intercepted.
Seattle (6-2) pulled out of reach with a 12-play, 93-yard drive
that used up 6:50 of the fourth quarter. Alexander's 14-yard run
capped the drive to give Seattle its 33-19 lead.
Arizona Pro Bowl defensive end Bertrand Berry left the field
with an apparent shoulder injury with 9:44 to play.
The teams exchanged field goals on their first possessions, then
the Seahawks took the lead for good.
Trufant intercepted Warner's pass to give Seattle the ball at
Cardinals 48. Alexander had runs of 19 and 10 yards to set up
Hasselbeck's 4-yard touchdown pass to Joe Jurevicius and Seattle
led 10-3.
After Rackers' 31-yard field goal cut it to 10-6, the Seahawks
scored late in the half. Hasselbeck threw a 46-yard sideline pass
to Jerheme Urban to the Cardinals 13. Hasselbeck ran 1 yard for the
score with 43 seconds left in the half.
On the first play in the second half, Alexander broke loose on
the 88-yard touchdown run. After reaching the secondary, the
Seahawks' cut back to elude safety Adrian Wilson, and outran
everyone the rest of the way.
Herndon stepped in front of intended receiver Larry Fitzgerald
to pick off Warner's throw at the Arizona 10. The defense held, and
Josh Brown's 28-yard field goal put Seattle up 27-9.
Warner finally got Arizona into the end zone on a 14-play,
80-yard drive. He threw 6 yards to Johnson in the back of the end
zone with 35 seconds to go in the third quarter.
Warner's 63-yard pass to tight end Eric Edwards set up Rackers'
fourth field goal, a 44-yarder that made it 27-19.